Housing service - feedback and issues

What happens next once you make a complaint?

This section explains what you can expect after you make a complaint about a housing service provided by the council as your landlord.

Stage one

Step one: We acknowledge and define your complaint

Once your complaint is received, it will be logged and acknowledged within five working days:

• We will confirm our understanding of: 
  • What you are unhappy about, and
  • What outcome you are seeking
• This is called the complaint definition
• If any part of your complaint is unclear, we may contact you to clarify it
• If some issues raised are not the responsibility of the council, we will explain this at the outset

Step two: Stage one investigation and response:

• Your complaint will usually be investigated by a manager or senior officer responsible for the housing service you are complaining about
• We aim to provide a full written response within ten working days of acknowledging your complaint
• If your complaint is complex and we need more time, we will: 
  • Explain why an extension is needed
  • Agree a revised timescale with you (extensions will not normally exceed a further ten working days)

Your stage 1 response will explain:

• The decision reached
• The reasons for that decision (with reference to relevant policy, law or good practice where appropriate)
• Any remedy offered where applicable (including apologies, service improvements or compensation where applicable)
• Any outstanding actions that will continue after the response is issued

Please note: We will respond once the answer to your complaint is known, even if further actions are still ongoing. Those actions will continue to be tracked and updates provided where needed.

If your complaint is about something still being investigated

Sometimes a complaint runs alongside other processes, such as repair inspections, anti-social behaviour investigations or statutory reviews.

• Making a complaint does not stop us from continuing work to address the underlying issue
• Where part of your concern must be dealt with through another process, we will explain this clearly and tell you what to expect next
• Where issues raised in a complaint are subject to a separate statutory or formal review process, such as a homelessness review or an ASB case review, the complaints procedure may be limited in the response it can provide. In these circumstances, the complaint response may acknowledge your concerns and any distress or frustration caused, but the substantive matters will be addressed through the relevant process, which operates under its own legal framework and timescales. This approach avoids duplication and ensures that the issues are considered through the appropriate route

Stage two - review

Step three: If you are not satisfied 

If you remain unhappy after receiving your stage one response, you can ask for your complaint to be escalated to stage two

• You do not have to explain why you want stage two, although it can help us understand your ongoing concerns
• Your stage two complaint will be acknowledged within five working days
• A senior officer who was not involved at stage one will review your complaint
• We aim to provide a final response within 20 working days, or explain any need for an extension

Stage two is the council’s final response to your complaint.

After stage two – Ombudsman review

If you remain dissatisfied after stage two, you can take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman, who is independent of the council.

• Contact details for the Housing Ombudsman will be provided with your final response
• The Ombudsman will usually expect you to have completed the council’s complaints process first

 Support, accessibility and adjustments

• You can make a complaint in a way that suits you, including by phone, email or in writing
• You may have a representative support you or complain on your behalf, with your consent
• We will make reasonable adjustments where needed and keep these under review

If you tell us about any vulnerabilities or support needs, we will take these into account when handling your complaint.

What a complaint cannot always do

A complaint helps us review whether a service has been delivered appropriately and fairly.

It cannot always overturn decisions that are governed by law or formal review processes, but we will explain clearly what can and cannot be addressed through the complaints process.

Last updated: 26/05/2026 12:01